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Post-Bloat Diet Questions


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Katie survived emergency bloat surgery 11 days ago. Yeay! That's a whole saga, of course. But, to the present issue.

 

What to feed her??

 

We fed her canned ID (prescription) food for several days, and have been trying to transition her to a more normal diet. Whatever that's going to be. I'm probably screwing her up by trying too many different things, but she's not eating enough, and I'm concerned about her losing more weight.

 

The vets said that any kibble would forever after have to be soaked before feeding. That makes sense: get the swelling out of the way before it goes into her stomach. But, she literally spits it out on the floor after it's been soaked. Mixing it with canned food (completely, with an immersion blender) gets a few bites in, anyway. She'll eat the canned, no problem. She'll eat the un-soaked kibble (a different brand than before), no problem. Soaked? Nope.

 

If you had a dog who bloated, what and how did you feed him/her afterwards?

 

Did your dog ever bloat again? If so, could you pin down why with any degree of confidence?

 

Disclaimer: Katie is a borzoi, rescued from S. Korea, not a greyhound, but Greytalk rules for this kind of discussion, and I still have a greyhound! :)

 

Thanks for any help or advice!!

Obligatory picture: Katie with Meep the Cat

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My Inspirations: Grey Pogo, borzoi Katie, Meep the cat, AND MY BELOVED DH!!!
Missing Rowdy, Coco, Brilly, Happy and Wabi.

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One of our Great Danes bloated as a year old puppy, and survived with surgery to live to ten years old. She never had any further problems. Genetics and personality generally have a larger role to play in bloat than feeding strategy.

 

We didn't soak her kibble afterwards though we did serve it with quite a bit of liquid. Katie is probably still healing up from the surgery, so don't freak out about her not eating quite yet. If they did a tack job during her surgery then you don't need to worry about the torsion again, but there can be a gas issue (keep some Gas-x in the house). Her food should be low fat to help with that. You might consider grain free once she's off the I/D.

 

See is using broth instead of water will help her eat. Use a kibble that has smaller pieces instead of larger ones. Feed in several small meals instead of two big ones. Include a probiotic of some sort - yogurt, FortiFlora, any one of a numerable digestive aids out there. You also don't need to soak it to much, IMO, just soften it slightly.

 

Good luck to sweet Katiebug!

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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Once they recovered from surgery, I fed normal. I've had 3 bloat - 2 Danes and a Dobe. One Dane I set to the bridge because she had a multitude of problems (Addison's for one -- she would not have survived the surgery).

 

The other Dane lived another 5 or so years with no recurrence and she did NOT have her stomach stapled down. Vet said it was more successful in cows than dogs.

 

The Dobe did not have surgery -- he was just tubed (even though 3 vets swore he was going into or in torsion--I insisted they tube him because he had a multitude of issues and I doubt he would have lived thru surgery). He lived another 6 months with no recurrence and no further bloating.

 

All 3 were, in my opinion (and I've talked to vets about this) due to high stress situations going on at the time. Vet told me they had a cocker spaniel bloat while boarding.

 

All of my dogs were fed from shoulder high feeders after the first Dane bloated. The Purdue study, imo, is jaded because they used show dogs -- all high stress.

 

So, I probably didn't answer your question LOL I'd go with canned or meat until she recovers. Then, if she was mine, I'd feed whatever and make sure I followed the exercise "rules". I also do not feed if I know a high stress situation such as going to the vet, thunder for a thunder phobic dog, etc. they can eat late -- won't hurt them

Diane & The Senior Gang

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Thanks for these very helpful replies! More below ...

One of our Great Danes bloated as a year old puppy, and survived with surgery to live to ten years old. She never had any further problems. Genetics and personality generally have a larger role to play in bloat than feeding strategy.

 

We didn't soak her kibble afterwards though we did serve it with quite a bit of liquid. Katie is probably still healing up from the surgery, so don't freak out about her not eating quite yet. If they did a tack job during her surgery then you don't need to worry about the torsion again, but there can be a gas issue (keep some Gas-x in the house). Her food should be low fat to help with that. You might consider grain free once she's off the I/D.

 

See is using broth instead of water will help her eat. Use a kibble that has smaller pieces instead of larger ones. Feed in several small meals instead of two big ones. Include a probiotic of some sort - yogurt, FortiFlora, any one of a numerable digestive aids out there. You also don't need to soak it to much, IMO, just soften it slightly.

 

Good luck to sweet Katiebug!

Poor Danes! What a mess they can be, huh? The ones I've met have all been really neat dogs, too. I'm so glad your puppy lived on to such a ripe old age!

You mention personality. Katie is rather a nervous bird. She's worlds better than when we first got her, but she will revert to a fearful place if she gets confused or startled by ... whatever confuses or startles her. She recovers more quickly, but still, a nervous nelly. She had had a quiet day, but she had been having an upset tummy on and off for weeks. I'm really thinking her food disagreed with her, and maybe combined with her nervous propensity, she was a set-up for bloat.

 

Someone mentioned Gas-X to me on Facebook, as well (was that you??) It's on the shopping list.

I didn't have any no-salt broth in the house, so I made some with carrots (she looves carrots), oregano and a little garlic clove, and very little water, then blended it. She would lick at the soup by itself, but wouldn't touch the kibble soaked in it. :P But that doesn't mean regular broth wouldn't work. I'll put that on the list, too. :)

She is getting a probiotic (a goat's milk thing for now, with Trophy Prozyme Plus Powder Pet Supplement on order), so we're good there, I hope. I've also been feeding her several small meals ... especially since I can't get much into her at a time! :/

 

Oh, and I forgot to mention, she's enjoying a return to her former coprophagia. *sigh* :rolleyes: Back to the muzzle cup!

 

 

Once they recovered from surgery, I fed normal. I've had 3 bloat - 2 Danes and a Dobe. One Dane I set to the bridge because she had a multitude of problems (Addison's for one -- she would not have survived the surgery).

 

The other Dane lived another 5 or so years with no recurrence and she did NOT have her stomach stapled down. Vet said it was more successful in cows than dogs.

 

The Dobe did not have surgery -- he was just tubed (even though 3 vets swore he was going into or in torsion--I insisted they tube him because he had a multitude of issues and I doubt he would have lived thru surgery). He lived another 6 months with no recurrence and no further bloating.

 

All 3 were, in my opinion (and I've talked to vets about this) due to high stress situations going on at the time. Vet told me they had a cocker spaniel bloat while boarding.

 

All of my dogs were fed from shoulder high feeders after the first Dane bloated. The Purdue study, imo, is jaded because they used show dogs -- all high stress.

 

So, I probably didn't answer your question LOL I'd go with canned or meat until she recovers. Then, if she was mine, I'd feed whatever and make sure I followed the exercise "rules". I also do not feed if I know a high stress situation such as going to the vet, thunder for a thunder phobic dog, etc. they can eat late -- won't hurt them

Diane, yee! Your record is close to mine! (3 bloats, 1 survivor - precious Wabi we had to let go 2 and a half years ago, as she would not have survived the surgery :( )

What made you insist at the time that they tube your Dobe? I read last week of a very small study that suggested that tubing alone could be curative even after torsion, or that, if the stomach didn't spontaneously un-torque after tubing, that the tube could be re-inserted, and a balloon blown into the stomach could be used to reposition the stomach non-surgically. Less than 50 dogs in the study, though. It's exciting that your guy did survive that episode. (Not long enough, though. :( )

 

Stress, again! Hm. Very good to know this. Pogo, my grey, is also a stress-y guy. I will avoid food during stressful intervals for both dogs, from now on.

 

Raised feeders! Argh. The never-ending controversy! :P Pogo can't even eat from the floor because of his muzzle deformities (the food just falls out), so he's raised. Katie can eat from the floor, but now I have to wonder *again* if she should??

 

Thanks to both of you for sharing your experiences with me. Very helpful!

GT-siggy-spring12.jpg

My Inspirations: Grey Pogo, borzoi Katie, Meep the cat, AND MY BELOVED DH!!!
Missing Rowdy, Coco, Brilly, Happy and Wabi.

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My vet at the time told me to feed the Dane (the one that went 5+ years without bloating again) on a step stool if possible while she was recovering -- the higher the better (I would have let this vet operate on me--I assisted him with the operation on her and he gave her a 30% chance of making it) For many years she was the only Dane that I knew that did not have a recurrence of bloat. At the time she went into bloat she was being fed a kibble with soy in it which is why I will not feed soy.

 

Burp: he was 12 or almost 12 1/2 and he had a heart condition (on digitalis and another heart med). I insisted they tube him because I was not going to put him thru the operation. Not because I didn't want to spend the money, but I don't think he would have made it. He went into bloat 2 or 3 days after I picked him up from being boarded. He was bitten by spiders (that's another story) and I figured out he had been given only half his heart medicine while he was at the kennel. They tubed him twice during the day and he was fine. I fed him normally after a few days and he didn't bloat again.

 

I've fed my dogs from raised feeders (unless they will lay down and eat) since Tiffany bloated back in 1970. The Dane I lost: I had just moved to Houston 2 days before and she bloated on 1/2 can of pedigree dog food (I was trying to get her to eat something) With the Addison's and the stress of the car trip and new house, she just couldn't cope.

Diane & The Senior Gang

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Current thinking on raised feeders is more for comfort than to help with bloat. So you have to make your own mind up. The Danes, and now my greys, *can* eat off the floor, it just looks uncomfortable - like a giraffe getting a drink! We use raised feeders here.

 

My Danes were a brother and sister from the same litter of nine puppies. Of the nine puppies, 3 never bloated, 2 survived a bloat-torsion incident, but 4 died. Their sire also died while he was being boarded (and under stress).

 

You might consider an anti-anxiety med for Katie since she has shown a propensity for bloating under stress.

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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This is good background to help us decide how to proceed with Katie. I really appreciate all this input! She's still being super picky, but I'm hoping her normal appetite will re-assert itself before too long. *crossing fingers!* Other than that, she's quite perky!

 

Did any of your bloat survivors seem less able to hold their potty needs as well, following surgery?

GT-siggy-spring12.jpg

My Inspirations: Grey Pogo, borzoi Katie, Meep the cat, AND MY BELOVED DH!!!
Missing Rowdy, Coco, Brilly, Happy and Wabi.

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This is just a suggestion, but if she's eating the broth but not the kibble could you blend the kibble into the broth once it's been softened so she could 'drink' it like a smoothie?

 

 

 

 

And I have just read what I wrote and realised that three years ago I would never have been someone who serious suggested blending dog food as a strategy.....

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Our Alex had a bladder of steel. Even as a puppy. No issues for us.

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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Chris, thanks. I *think* maybe it's just that we're controlling her intake, so it's all going in at once, and coming out the same way. :P

 

Brandieandwe, LOL! We're on the same trail, here. I did try the blending, and that helped a bit. Got her to eat some, as long as it contained a fair percentage of canned food. I used an immersion blender. Poor hubby keeps harking back to the old days, when a pet lived, got sick, and died, with very little intervention one way or another. Heh! Well, that may be good enough for me and him, but NOT for our PETS! ;):lol:

GT-siggy-spring12.jpg

My Inspirations: Grey Pogo, borzoi Katie, Meep the cat, AND MY BELOVED DH!!!
Missing Rowdy, Coco, Brilly, Happy and Wabi.

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Xan, after Sheila bloated my vet said several small meals per day, ideally soaked in water so the kibble doesn't expand so much in the stomach. I wasn't feeding raw at the time, but I've read anecdotally, though clearly there are no studies behind it, that there is less bloat among dogs who are fed raw. I worry about bloat a lot less not that I feed raw, but still take all the same precautions...no exercise before or after meals, etc.

Edited by seeh2o

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Susan, I'm so sorry about your lab. :( I know that feeling.

 

seeh2o, thanks. Yes, that's what my vets said, too (soak kibble, several meals). At least 3 meals a day, at least for awhile. She's still on 4 or so, depending on how much she eats at each.

 

Diane, I was just looking back at Wabi's history, and remembering that she had an epulis on her lower jaw that we risked anesthesia (she had arrested during her spay surgery, so more than usual fears for her!) to have biopsied. She survived that, but bloated like 5 days later, and boom! Gone. Fits with the stress model, perhaps.

 

She is choosing to eat dry kibble with water on the side, and canned food. They must not touch. :rolleyes::P And I'm keeping fingers crossed, and watching her like a hawk, and only allowing free access to water half an hour away from meals, and about an hour after our walk (though I did let her have a few ice cubes). Too much volume, and *oooops!* up it comes!

GT-siggy-spring12.jpg

My Inspirations: Grey Pogo, borzoi Katie, Meep the cat, AND MY BELOVED DH!!!
Missing Rowdy, Coco, Brilly, Happy and Wabi.

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Sending good thoughts for your sweet Katie. Please keep us update.

Cynthia, & Cristiano, galgo
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"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life, gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are." -- Unknown

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Vet says, possible concern of infection (even this late: 14 days post-surgery), so keep an eye on temps. Meanwhile, extra stomach meds, watch for lethargy, distention, and wait for her to heal from this life-threatening experience.

 

Not easy. I just want her to be FINE, already. I know you all understand!

 

Thank you for the good thoughts!!! <3

GT-siggy-spring12.jpg

My Inspirations: Grey Pogo, borzoi Katie, Meep the cat, AND MY BELOVED DH!!!
Missing Rowdy, Coco, Brilly, Happy and Wabi.

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Glad it's not super serious. Was she on antibiotics at all, then or now?

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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Chris, she had antibiotics after the surgery, but has been off them for a bit now. She's pretty subdued, today. But, she ate some breakfast, and suddenly became normal when I did "tricks for treats" with Pogo, leaping off the couch to join in. :rolleyes:

GT-siggy-spring12.jpg

My Inspirations: Grey Pogo, borzoi Katie, Meep the cat, AND MY BELOVED DH!!!
Missing Rowdy, Coco, Brilly, Happy and Wabi.

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